Two suspects in Olorato Mongale case are on bail for kidnapping, robbery

Two of the three suspects sought by the police in connection with the death of Olorato Mongale are out on bail.

This was revealed by national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe during a briefing outside the Pretoria magistrate's court on Thursday. Mathe said Philangenkosi Makhanya and Bongani Mthimkhulu were arrested for kidnapping and robbery and released in April.

“We had actually arrested two of the three suspects that we are looking for. On April 20 we arrested them on a charge of kidnapping and robbery in the Brakpan area, where a vigilant police officer was conducting his regular patrols. He came across a suspicious-looking vehicle, a VW Polo — the same VW Polo in question — and when he confronted the suspects, he found they had just kidnapped a woman and robbed her.

“We immediately placed these two suspects under arrest. On April 22 they appeared in court on a charge of kidnapping and robbery, and on April 26 they got bail. So they are now out on bail,” Mathe said. 

The suspects are linked to various other cases, she said.

Mongale’s body was discovered at the weekend, abandoned in Lombardy, outside Alexandra, northern Johannesburg.

On Wednesday night, police issued a statement saying they had identified Makhanya and Fezile Ngubane as people of interest in the murder. This after the white VW Polo that picked up Mongale from her Joburg residence for a date was found at a panel-beating workshop in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal. 

On Thursday morning police identified a third man, Mthimkhulu, a friend of Makhanya, as the additional suspect. The police are looking for all three men.

Mathe urged anyone who spots the suspects to immediately contact Brig Edwin Nama on 082-778-9035.

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